Atlanta’s stepping up with these 2 cool building proposals

If there’s one gripe I have about the big buildings in Atlanta, it’s that they’re pretty drab.

There are a few exceptions, but Atlanta’s motto seems to be, “Build it fast – who cares what it looks like?” For all of its advantages that I love, our town’s architecture lacks the imagination that has made other cities famous.

In the photo to the right, you’ll see the design for one proposed building in Midtown Atlanta. It would be a 35-story apartment tower, according to a Curbed Atlanta report, and it would replace – of course – a parking lot. The proposed development would cost approximately $70 million and would contain retail shops along with the 400 or so apartments.

The building will be located at Sixth and Peachtree and could bring some additional creativity to an area where more young adults are looking to move as they spurn the suburbs for the inner city, according to an Atlanta Business Chronicle report.

Then, there’s the Buckhead building mock-up below, which is far more … interesting.

It would be Atlanta’s first glass faceted glass curtain wall system, according to the complex’s website, and would complete the office park that already contains two buildings (seen surrounding the proposed Three Alliance Center in the picture). Real estate firm Tishman Speyer projects the building would be completed in mid-2016.

Sure, building design isn’t a major talking point with most people, but I do appreciate pretty buildings and a city with imagination can draw newbies that might have gone to Denver or Portland instead. If we’re going to get younger as a city, we might as well do it with some style.

Let’s hope the firms pitching the designs for these buildings can follow through and actually get these projects done. Both of these buildings would be welcomed additions to our blasé skyline.